


Risk it all

by RoseWaterTears



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Inspired by The Greatest Showman (2017), Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Not Beta Read, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post-Canon, Short & Sweet, Song: The Other Side, We Die Like Men, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:27:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26717482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseWaterTears/pseuds/RoseWaterTears
Summary: Sokka was in his rooms within the Fire Palace when he realized how unfathomably stupid he was. He was in love with Zuko. And he’s pretty sure Zuko was in love with him. The stolen glances, blush rising from his internal fire, all the times Zuko doesn’t move his hand away or keeps their hugs going longer than a normal friend hug.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	Risk it all

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in an hour. Please don't be harsh.

Sokka was in his rooms within the Fire Palace when he realized how unfathomably stupid he was. He was in love with Zuko. And he’s pretty sure Zuko was in love with him. The stolen glances, blush rising from his internal fire, all the times Zuko didn’t move his hand away or kepts their hugs going longer than a normal friend hug.

Sokka was not one to hide his feelings and knew it would just be useless to try to. He’s not really all that secretive when it came to the people he actually like liked. Jumping up from the couch he was lounging on, he had to confront Zuko on this. When Sokka fell, he fell hard and fast and he needed his answer. 

Partially running from his room to Zuko’s, Sokka walked in without warning to find Zuko hunched over his desk as always. Zuko looks up and his tense shoulders ease a bit, seeing his best friend. Sokka sees the young Firelord stand and he walks over to the desk to stand face to face with him.

“Zuko,  Right here, right now. I put the offer out. I don't want to chase you down. I know you see it. You get with me. And I can cut you free.” Sokka says a little breathlessly. His hands clenching and unclenching in a way to make sure he doesn’t grab onto the man in front of him.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Zuko looked away from the scrutiny from the blue eyes in front of him.

“I think you know exactly what I’m talking about to Zuko. Let me help you out of the drudgery and walls you keep in. So trade that typical for something colorful, and if it's crazy, live a little crazy. You can play it sensible, a king of conventional, or you can risk it all and see. You can see your own happiness.” Sokka took a step closer to Zuko and he responded by taking his own step back. 

“Sokka, what on earth are you talking about. I can’t be in a relationship with a man. My advisors don’t believe in a relationship without a marriage endgame, and I need to produce an heir. I can’t entertain this idea.” Zuko had a blush rising farther across his face while he looked away from the warrior boxing him into his desk.

“Don't you wanna get away from the same old part you gotta play? 'Cause I got what you need, so come with me and take the ride. I see how you look at me Zuko. Be with me. It'll take you to the other side. Because, yeah, you can do like you do. Or you can do like me. Be true to yourself. Stay in the cage, or you'll finally take the key. Damn! Suddenly you're free to fly. It'll take you to the other side.” Sokka’s voice was insistent. He just  _ knew  _ Zuko wanted more out of life. Out of a role that was thrust upon him. He knows there has to be more to life than just working and being in an inevitable loveless relationship.

  
  


“Okay, my friend, you want to cut me in. Well, I hate to tell you, but it just won't happen.  So thanks, but no. I think I'm good to go. 'Cause I quite enjoy the life you say I'm trapped in, for the most part.”Zuko barked out a harsh laugh. “Now I admire you, and that whole confidence, and the bisexual thing you do. You're onto something, really it's something. But I live among the royalty, and we don't date for love and happiness. I'll have to leave that up to you.” Zuko turned to leave, walking away from the dejected man. Sokka reached out and grabbed Zuko’s wrist. Zuko peered down at the hand trapping him and yanked it out of the other man’s possession.

  
  


“Don't you know that I'm okay with this Firelord part I get to play? I have what I need and I don't want to take the ride. I don't need to see the other side. So go and do like you do. I'm good to do like me. I’m not in a cage, so I don't need to take the key. Fuck Sokka! Can't you see I'm doing fine? I don't need to see the other side. I can’t see it.” Zuko walked farther into his chambers and stopped himself at the doorway into his bedroom when he heard Sokka’s voice again. It sounded disbelieving and possibly on the verge of tears.

“Now is this really how you like to spend your days? Whiskey and misery, and parties and plays?” 

“If I were mixed up with you, I'd be the talk of the nation. Disgraced and hated, another one of the shunned.” Zuko was the first to start crying, with just a single tear sliding down his face.

“Zuko, you repealed those awful laws that Sozin put in when Roku refused him. There have been over a thousand same-sex marriages in the past year alone. You gave your people ease and a sense of belonging. No longer do they need to hide their love. You don’t need to hide yours.” Sokka stalked forward once more and grabbed Zuko by his hips and forced the paler man into a fierce embrace.

“I don’t know what you want me to do Sokka.” Zuko repressed a sob as he clutched closer to Sokka’s chest. Hoping it could shield him from the rest of the world. 

“Be with me. Try it out. We don’t have to stay together forever, but you would finally live a little, finally laugh a little. Just let me give you the freedom to dream, and it'll wake you up and cure your aching. Take your walls and start 'em breaking. Now that's a deal that seems worth taking. But I guess I'll leave that up to you…” Sokka lifted Zuko’s chin so that he could get another glimpse of the gold pools of honey.

Zuko chuckled through his tears. “Well it's intriguing, but to be with you might cost me greatly, so what are you willing to give back?”

“Fair enough, you'd want a piece of all this hunkiness. I'd give you tonight, we could shake and make it happen.”

“Uh uh, I wasn't born this morning, I know I want something long term.”

“Why not just go ahead and ask for my hand in marriage?”

“Give me a year of fun”

“I’ll do a week.”

“9 months.”

“Maybe 6”

“Forever?” They say together, giggling.

Sokka didn’t leave the Firelorad’s chambers that night.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, y'all. I wrote two other fics as of rn and I would be honored if you read them and of course, I have to put in the obligatory, please Kudo and comment.


End file.
